Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League
The Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League (or KITTY League) was a Class D minor league circuit that went through six different lives. The first KITTY League played from 1903 through 1906. The next one ran from 1910 through 1914. The third try played a single season (1916). The circuit was revived in 1922 and lasted three years. The fifth KITTY League lasted the longest, playing from 1935 through 1955 with a break from 1943-1945 due to World War II. The league was also known briefly as the Kentucky-Indiana-Tennessee League. Unlike most leagues that were dormant for years in between playing, the KITTY was pretty much the same league from 1903-1955, through its inactive years. Clifton C. Gosnell was league president in 1906, after which the league stopped playing, and was president in 1910-1911 when play resumed. Then Dr. Frank H. Bassett was league president 1912-1914, 1916, 1922-1924, and 1935-1937, through the active times and the inactive. Hopkinsville, KY was represented for 28 of the 31 active seasons of the KITTY League, while Paducah, KY made it for 23. *Bowling Green, KY: Bowling Green Barons 1939-1942 *Cairo, IL: Cairo Egyptians 1903; Cairo Champions 1904; Cairo Giants 1905-1906; Cairo Egyptians 1911-1914; Cairo Egyptians 1922-1924; Cairo Egyptians 1946-1948; Cairo Dodgers 1949-1950 *Central City, KY: Central City Reds 1954 *Clarksville, TN: Clarksville Villagers 1903; Clarksville Grays 1904; Clarksville Volunteers 1910; Clarksville Billies 1911; Clarksville Rebels 1912; Clarksville Boosters 1913-1914; Clarksville Volunteers 1916; Clarksville Owls 1946; Clarksville Colts 1947-1949 *Danville, IL: Danville Old Soldiers 1906 *Dawson Springs, KY: Dawson Springs 1916 *Dyersburg, TN: Dyersburg Forked Deers 1923; Dyersburg Deers 1924, moved to Tri-State League 1925 *Evansville, IN: Evansville Yankees 1912 *Fulton, KY: Fulton Colonels 1911; Fulton Railroaders 1922-1924; Fulton Eagles 1936-1938; Fulton Tigers 1939-1942; Fulton Bulldogs 1946; Fulton Chicks 1947-1948; Fulton Railroaders 1949-1951; Fulton Lookouts 1952-1955 *Harrisburg, IL: Harrisburg Merchants 1910-1911, moved from Southern Illinois League mid-1910; Harrisburg Coal Miners 1913 *Henderson, KY: Henderson Blue Birds 1903-1904; Henderson Hens 1905; Henderson Hens 1911-1914; Henderson Hens 1916 *Hopkinsville, KY: Hopkinsville Browns 1903-1904; Hopkinsville Hoppers 1905; Hopkinsville Hoppers 1910-1914; Hopkinsville Hoppers 1916; Hopkinsville Hoppers 1922-1923; Hopkinsville Hoppers 1935-1942, 1946-1954 *Jackson, TN: Jackson Railroaders 1903; Jackson 1911; Jackson Blue Jays 1924; Jackson Generals 1935-1942; Jackson Generals 1950-1954 *Jacksonville, IL: Jacksonville Jacks 1906 *Lexington, TN: Lexington Giants 1935-1938 *Madisonville, KY: Madisonville Miners 1916; Madisonville Miners 1922; Madisonville Miners 1946-1955 *Mattoon, IL & Charleston, IL: Mattoon-Charleston Canaries 1906 *Mayfield, KY: Mayfield Pantsmakers 1922-1924; Mayfield Clothiers 1936-1938; Mayfield Browns 1939-1941; Mayfield Clothiers 1946-1955 *McLeansboro, IL: McLeansboro Billikens 1910; McLeansboro Miners 1911 *Milan, TN: Milan-Trenton Twins 1923 *Owensboro, KY: Owensboro Distillers 1903; Owensboro Distillers 1913-1914; Owensboro Distillers 1916; Owensboro Pirates 1936; Owensboro Oilers 1937-1942, 1946-1955 *Paducah, KY: Paducah Chiefs 1903; Paducah Indians 1904-1906, 1910; Paducah Polecats 1911; Paducah Chiefs 1912-1913; Paducah Indians 1914, 1922-1923; Paducah Red Birds 1935; Paducah Indians 1936-1941; Paducah Chiefs 1951-1955, moved from Mississippi-Ohio Valley League 1949-1950 *Paris, TN: Paris Travelers 1922; Paris Parisians 1923-1924 *Portageville, MO: Portageville Pirates 1935-1936 *Princeton, KY: Princeton Infants 1905 *Springfield, TN: Springfield Blanketmakers 1923 *Trenton, TN: Trenton Reds 1922; Milan-Trenton Twins 1923 *Union City, TN: Union City Greyhounds 1935-1942, 1946-1952; Union City Dodgers 1953-1955 *Vincennes, IN: Vincennes Alices 1903; Vincennes Reds 1904; Vincennes Alices 1905-1906; Vincennes Alices 1910; Vincennes Hoosiers 1911; Vincennes Alices 1913